Collaborative risk controller for vehicles using v2v

Abstract

The automated driving behavior of a self-driving vehicle may be controlled. In some cases, a system may determine a collision risk for the first self-driving vehicle. The first vehicle may receive from one or more nearby vehicles a collision risk assessment value determined by said vehicle. The first vehicle may determine an aggregate collision risk score based on the determined collision risk and the received collision risk assessments. Responsive to a determination that the aggregate collision risk score has changed relative to a previously calculated aggregate collision risk score, the first vehicle may adapt at least one of its self-driving parameters to control automated driving behavior.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method to change an automated driving behavior of a first self-driving vehicle, comprising:
 determining, at a first self-driving vehicle, a collision risk for the first self-driving vehicle;   receiving, at the first self-driving vehicle, from at least a second vehicle, a collision risk assessment value determined by each of the at least second vehicles, using vehicle-to-vehicle communications;   determining an aggregate collision risk score based on the first self-driving vehicle's determined collision risk and the collision risk assessment received from at least the second vehicle; and   responsive to a determination that the aggregate collision risk score has changed relative to a previously calculated aggregate collision risk score, adapting a self-driving parameter of the first self-driving vehicle.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transmitting an indication of changed perceived collision risk using vehicle-to-vehicle communications, from the first self-driving vehicle to at least the second vehicle. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising transmit collected vehicle sensor data from the first vehicle to the second vehicle. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein responsive to a determination that the aggregate collision risk score has increased, the self-driving parameter of the first self-driving vehicle is adapted to a more conservative level. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determination of the collision risk for the first self-driving vehicle is based at least in part on at least one sensor measurement of detected neighboring vehicles in proximity to the first self-driving vehicle. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the aggregate collision risk score is further based on an aggregate risk associated with a location of the first self-driving vehicle. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the aggregate collision risk score is further based on an aggregate risk associated with a weather condition in a pre-specified driving radius around the first self-driving vehicle. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein responsive to a determination that the aggregate collision risk score has dropped below a predefined minimum threshold, enabling from the risk assessment controller selection of any of a plurality of driving operation modes. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising selecting a replacement driving operation mode based at least in part on the aggregate collision risk score. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising visualizing, to a user of the first self-driving vehicle, the received collision risk assessment value from at least the second vehicle. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the visualization further comprises associating a color indication with the received collision risk assessment from at least the second vehicle. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the aggregate collision risk score further comprises applying a decay factor to at least one previously received collision risk assessment. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein for each previously received collision risk assessment, the decay factor is selected based at least in part on a driving behavior associated with the vehicle from which the collision risk assessment was received. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second vehicles have a unique identifier, the unique identifier associated with collision risk values transmitted by each vehicle. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, at the first self-driving vehicle, from the second vehicle, information about current dynamics of the second vehicle;   computing a vehicle trajectory for the second vehicle based on the received dynamics of the second vehicle;   calculating an interference boundary between the first vehicle and the second vehicle; and   updating, at the risk assessment controller of the first self-driving vehicle, the collision risk for the first self-driving vehicle based at least in part on the interference boundary between the first and second vehicles.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving collected vehicle sensor data from the second vehicle; and   updating, at the risk assessment controller of the first self-driving vehicle, the collision risk for the first self-driving vehicle based at least in part on the received vehicle sensor data from the second vehicle.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 obtaining map data indicating at least one upcoming road condition; and   updating, at the risk assessment controller of the first self-driving vehicle, the collision risk for the first self-driving vehicle based at least in part on the at least one indicated upcoming road condition.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining a historical collision risk, and wherein the determination of the aggregate collision risk score is further based on the determined historical collision risk. 
     
     
         19 . A system comprising a processor and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions operative, when executed on the processor, to perform functions including:
 determining, at a first self-driving vehicle, a collision risk for the first self-driving vehicle;   receiving, at the first self-driving vehicle, from at least a second vehicle, a collision risk assessment value determined by each of the at least second vehicles, using vehicle-to-vehicle communications;   determining an aggregate collision risk score based on the first self-driving vehicle's determined collision risk and the collision risk assessment received from at least the second vehicle; and   responsive to a determination that the aggregate collision risk score has changed relative to a previously calculated aggregate collision risk score, adapting a self-driving parameter of the first self-driving vehicle.